My beautiful 17 y.o. Bartie has cancer

Bartie had his check up on Tuesday. His blood work came back with elevated white cell counts. He's been vomiting and has diarrhea. He lost 2 pounds in less than 5 months. The vet says he's got intestinal lymphoma. She said in order to definitively rule out IBD, a biopsy would have to be done. Given his age, frailty and weight, it would be way too invasive. So, he's on steroids, strong antibiotics, along with his other meds. She said he's not in pain. All I can do now is keep him comfortable. He's down to 5.3 lbs and is skin and bones. He's been pooping in my shower, which I believe is due to dementia. I don't mind as its easy to clean up. He sleeps 23 hours a day and has lost his hearing. I've only had him for 2 years but I ADORE him. I had a chat with him and told him that I love him, but it's okay to "go" whenever he wants to. I am beside myself. I find myself checking to see if he's still breathing. Could I ask everyone to keep my old man in your prayers?

Oh My! I am so sorry to read about your boy. I know you'll do your best to keep him comfy. It is so hard when our beloved pets get sick and cant be cured. I went through it with my Luke and toward the end I actually prayed that he would go naturally because he was so weak that he couldnt walk...just crawl. I couldnt stand to see him like that any longer (I prob waited too long) and took him to vet to be PTS. He went so easy. If you have to do that, I know your Bartie will understand and know that you're helping him. You're both in my prayers.

Donna, I hate to hear this. I know how you feel. I am going through the exact same thing with my Mo, who is 16 and has been my big boy since he came into my life at 2 months old. He did have the scope done and biopsy. He was diagnosed with IBD. The treatment is the same as for lymphoma. He has not responded to any of the meds they have tried. He went from a honking 20 lbs down to 9. He eats constantly but stays so thin, you can feel all his bones. He even wakes me up during the night to feed him and has stopped using the litterbox to poo (which is diarrhea) but does use it to pee.He started with the vomitting but we do have that stopped. If Bart does have IBD it isn't curable, but it is treatable. I hope your vet's treatment plan works for him.

"That's the power of kittens (and puppies too, of course): They can reduce us to quivering masses of Jell-O in about two seconds flat and make us like it. Good thing they don't have opposable thumbs or they'd surely have taken over the world by now." -- Paul Lukas

Moosmom, sending virtual hugs to you and Bartie!! My Mac is getting up there in age and was also losing weight. Thankfully, he had hyperthyroid, which is treatable. I hope that Bartie responds to the meds and lives the rest of his life peacefully and without pain. Sending up prayers for you both.

:(

Donna, I am sorry to hear about your kitty. It is always a difficult time. Decisions, decisions.

When my Miley girl was going through the later stages of her intestinal problems, the vet told me that the reason she stopped using a litter box was because she associated the litter box with the pain that was happening when she had a bowel movement. That is why she would go in odd places and seldom in the litter box (toward the end of her illness). It made sense to me. That was when I allowed her to go to RB and be out of pain. If I were you, I would make sure your vet is on target with the level of pain your kitty might be in. Cats are so darn stoic and often don't give strong indications about their level of pain.

Anyway, it is a sad time for you I am sure. It is difficult to see anything go down hill. I usually take an early step in total pain relief when it comes to my pets. Maybe I am too early, but once I get the diagnosis, I act pretty quickly and make the dreaded appointment with the vet. The less discomfort they have, the better off they are, in my opinion anyway.

I hope your time with Bartie is good and he is not in much discomfort. Hang in their Bartie. You are loved.

We are so sorry to hear about Bartie, its a shock when our Cats become older and fall prey to illness.
We always want them to be well and there is such a feeling of helpnessness when we cannot make everything all right as we could when they were young.
WE pray that Bartie can get better , that he is not in pain.
All of our prayers are coming for Bartie from the Found Cat Hotel.